The science cover-up: Experts accused of hushing up report saying GCSEs have been dumbed down

Tackling science: Critics claim that the GCSEs have been dumbed down so much that they are little more than a test of general knowledge

Top scientists were last night accused of trying to hush up a
damning report on the dumbing down of GCSEs to avoid embarrassing the
Government.

The report by the Science Community Representing Education
(Score) group said some exam questions required no scientific
knowledge.

It also found maths was examined 'in a very limited way' and
in some cases 'the allowable answers given in mark schemes did not
reflect correct science'.

But the Royal Society of Chemistry, which is represented on
the group, broke ranks last night to blow the whistle on a cover-up.

'It would seem to me the public interest is being subordinated
for political reasons, which is unacceptable,' said Dr Richard Pike,
the society's chief executive.

A planned public release of the research was shelved yesterday by Score.

Although the report was available online and to those that
specifically requested it, the press release containing some stark
criticism was unavailable.

It included a quote from Sir
Alan Wilson, the chairman of Score, who said: 'It is astonishing that
there are questions in our GCSEs that have no relation to science and
that mathematics, the cornerstone of sound scientific understanding, is
so woefully represented.'

Sources at the chemistry society said the Score coalition -
based at the Royal Society - was concerned the findings would play into
the hands of the Conservatives and education spokesman Michael Gove,
and upset key civil servants.

Members were said to fear the 'lack of science' would be
'picked up by Michael Gove' and the report would be 'seen to align with
the Conservatives', which would 'affect relations' with public bodies.

Dr Pike said: 'My concern is that the civil servants in the Department for Children, Schools and Families are becoming increasingly politicised, even when confronted with evidence.

'Within the learned society community, for the most part, they don't want to cause trouble. They are cosying up with the civil service and cosying up with all the people involved in writing exams.'

The row centres on science GCSEs introduced in 2006 in to make the subject more 'relevant' to teenagers.

The GCSE and additional science GCSE put a bigger emphasis on ' science for life' and included class discussions on climate change and cloning. But critics claim many questions are little more than a test of general knowledge.

Growing numbers of private schools are ditching the exam in favour of an international alternative seen as tougher because they do not have to conform to the Government's accredited qualifications.

The Mail revealed earlier this year an eight-year-old schoolboy set a scipressedence GCSE by his teacher father, who was investigating the exams for the Score review, scored more than half marks with no preparation or knowledge of science.

Zach Zetie scored 33 out of 60 after tackling questions such as 'why is wireless technology useful?' and giving the correct answer 'no wiring is needed'.

The Score report, which drew on evidence from 15 experts who reviewed 79 individual papers across four exam boards in England and Wales, concluded some questions did not require scientific knowledge.

But it was not sent out and instead a summary of the report was slipped on Score's website or sent to media outlets which knew to specifically request it.

Mr Gove said: 'It is deeply worrying that our top scientists believe GCSEs have been dumbed down, and it's even more worrying that there appears to be an effort to suppress the truth about declining standards to save the Government's face.'

Sir Alan said last night: 'Any suggestion the report has been supis completely untrue.'

He said the report was made available on the Score website at 2pm and copies were available to journalists from the press office.

But Score sources suggested the group was afraid of being misrepresented and felt in some circumstances 'diplomacy' was necessary.

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Experts accused of hushing up report saying GCSEs have been dumbed down